Shoe structure



SHOE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 22. 1927 a Sheets-Sheet 1' I gvmnnlio'z l I 1 I I4 I13 l7 12 I 4 /4 FranK A/We/chmnna Aug. 16, 1932- F. A. MELCHIONNA 1,871,547

SHOE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 22, 192"! 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zlwuentoz FranH/Wclchionna Aug. 16,1932. F. A. MELCHIONNA SHOE STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 22. 1927 gwuvntof FranK /\.Mclchi0nna Patented Aug. 16, 1932 PATENT, FICE:

FRANK A. MELCHIONNA, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO SHOE STRUCTURE Application filed January 22, 1927. Serial No. 162,880.

This invention relates to shoe structures 1 and has for an ob]ect the provision of means whereby to provide a strong,-neat appearing and comparatively inexpensive shoe.

Another ob ect is to provide means wherel by a turned shoe may be greatly strengthened.

Another ob]ect is to provide a shoe structure wherein means are provided forprecluding separation of a wood heel from the shoe.

These and other objects areattained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of it turned shoe of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of an arch and heel supporting structure, and showing .in dotted lines a member which renders it adaptable to the use of the shoe shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 55 of Fig.

1 and showing a wood heel to which the device is to be secured.

Fig. 6 shows a modified form of heel supporting structure as applied to welt shoes.

Fig. 7 is a modified form of the device shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmental longitudinal cross section of the forward portion of a shoe showing the structures of this invention.

Fig. 9 is a fragmental view of the bottom of the insole of. the structure shown in Fig. 8.

. Fig. 10 is a fragmental longitudinal cross section of the heel portion of a shoe embodying the structure of the invention.

The shoe shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 represents an improved type of turned shoe where-. :in the sole 12 is provided with the usual channellSand. shoulder 14 through which extendthe stitches which secure the upper ting the upper 16 to become separated from the sole. In the present invention a felt insole or pad member 17 is placed upon the top of sole 12, after which a fabric reinforcing member 18 is placed over the felt 17 and has its edges turned upon themselves as at 19 and forced into the channel 13. A suitable adhesive is applied to the under face of the fabric member 18 prior to its mounting in the position described sothat it is tightly retained against displacement. Afalse" welt member 20 is then glued in positionabout the edge 21 of sole 12, and about the shoulder llthereof. An upper 22 is then sewed to the welt and sole by means of stitches23 which extend through the upper, false welt 20,.por tion of the sole and through the turned over portion 19 of fabric member 18. After the shoe has been sewed in this manner, the lip 24 of false welt is cut away from the edge 21 of the shoe as shown in Fig. 2, thereby giving the shoe the appearance of. that shown in Fig. 1, namely the appearance of a welt shoe. The felt member 17 fills the space intermediate the ridges occasionedby. the sewing of the upper to the sole, and thereby eliminates the concavity or depression which sometimes occurs in shoes of this kind. :It will be apparent that with this structure there is little likelihood of the sti'tches 28 pulling through the lip 15 because of the fabric reinforcement in the channel 13.

In order to provide a firm rigid seat for a wood heel there is provided a centrally aper tured'metal reinforcing plate 25. The reinforcing plate 25, when used in connection with a shoesuch as is shown in Fig. 1 is secured to a leather arch or shank leather 26 such as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4E. The reinforcing plate has an enlarged central aperture27 so that there remains a comparatively narrow flat strip of metal 28 which should be understood that the metal arch support 29 and the reinforcing member 25 there is provided an enlarged perforation 32 for receiving a nail driven through the upper 22 when such upper cannot be turned inwardly to reach the enlarged aperture 27. The

' upper face 33 of wood heel 34 is dished out adaptable to permit independent positioning to provide a concavity into which the turned over portion of the upper may seat. A screw 35 is used to draw the heel 34 securely against the firm seat provided by the reinforcing member 25, the heel being drawn firmly against a rigid portion of the shoe. It will be noted that with this structure it is impossible for any portion of the sole structure immediately adjacent the heel to be flexed and thereby pulled away fromthe heel. By eliminating this flexing the heel fastening cannot become loosened. Additional nails 31 may be driven through the rim 28 wherever necessary and also through the forward end of the metal shank stiffener 29. By providing the enlarged central aperture 27 in the reinforcing member 25 there is provided ample space through which the temporary clamping screw for the wood heel may pass for permitting the drying of the glue which is used as an additional means for securing the heel. The reinforcing member 25 and metal shank stiffener may be used, as shown or as an ,integral structure as previously mentioned, in connection with the well known McKay type of shoe, in which case the shank stiffener and reinforcing member are nailed to the insole of the shoe.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a modified form of reinforcing member wherein a horseshoe shaped rim 28 is provided for use in a welt shoe wherein the rim 28 is tacked to the insole. Any type of shank stiffener such as 36 may be used with this form of reinforcing member. This structure is particularly of the shank stiffener relative to reinforcing member 25. I

In Fig. 7 the plate shown and described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5is illustrated independently of the metal shank. This also represents a modification of the U-shaped member at the right of Fig. 6 and may be used with practically any shoe either in the manufacture or repair thereof.

In Fig. 8 there is shown the forward portion of a shoe structure which is expressly adapted for use inshoes having uppers of satin or other fabric. Thisstructure is particularly adapted to render the shoe moisture-proof. At the forward end the shoe comprises an insole 37 having transverse slots '38 cut in the under surface thereof. A felt the upper and sole.

sole 39 having a thin water-proof fabric member 40 secured thereto along its edges is then glued to the bottom face of insole 37. The edge of the upper is then inserted between the water-proof covering 40 and the outer sole 31 which are secured together by stitches 42. The toe portion of the upper comprises an outer covering 43 of silk, satin or other fabric beneath which is a lining member 44. Below the lining is a thin waterproofed fabric 45. An inner lining 46 serves to cover a felt stiffening member 47 which may be treated with a suitable stiffening composition; The water-proof member 45, stiffening member 47 and inner lining 46 are.

preferably sewed together at the top of the vamp by stitching 48 so that the felt stifiening member 47 will not be inadvertently displaced in lasting the shoe.

Shoes made in accordance with this invention may be made with very thin soles, and are flexible and moisture-proof. It will be understood that whenthe upper is made of leather, the water-proof lining may be omitted.

In connection with the transversely slotted insole 37 a stripof elastic material 49 may be used to tend to bend the forward end of the insole downwardly, thereby counteracting the normal tendency to the upward curling of the toe portion of the shoe, and consequently tending to yieldingly retain the vamp of the shoe smooth. This is accomplished by securing the forward end 50 of elastic member 49 to the forward bottom edge of the insole, and stretching the elastic member and securing it by any suitable means such as fine nails 51 beneath the arch of said insole. The outer sole 41'being secured to the edges of the insole will tend to remain flat under the influence of the elastic member on the insole. This will help to retain the toe portion of the upper in a smooth and unwrinkled condition.

In the use of the metal reinforcing plate 25, it should be noted that accuracy of shoe construction is attained with great ease, because the enlarged perforation 32 at the extreme rear of the plate, is disposed on the longitudinal center line of the member. The nail holes in the integral plate portion 28 are also preferably disposed along said longitudinal center line. WVhen the upper is to be attached to the insole, the central heel seam of the shoe upper is first attached by driving a nail through the seam and through the perforation 32. This insures positioning of the rear seam of the shoe at the exact center of the heel, thereby correctly positioning The several aligned perforations present sighting points, which are ofmaterial assistance in centering the upper with relation to the sole. The perforation 32 is somewhat enlarged, so that a securing nail may be readily driven thereshoes either insole or counter or both may be of non-uniform stiffness, the heel portions of said pair of shoes may be difierent in contour when lasted. The heel plates 25 produce absolute uniformity in all shoes of a lot thereby obviating the extra labor of trimming the heels or other extra operations usually resorted to for making the shoes of salable appearance.

The shank and heel metal in one piece may be used for McKay and weltshoes. In this form the metal is secured between the usual insole and a shank leather 26 before the shoe is lasted. Any kind of heel may be used.

The metal, either in one or two pieces, secured to the shank leather 26 permits the inexpensive maufacture of turn shoes with orthopedic arches.

The metal heel binder 28 not only provides a uniform seat for the heel portion of the shoe upon the heel but produces a smoothness of the upper where turned about the shank leather or insole. This eliminates the necessity for beating the heel cap portion of the shoe into shape and leaves that part of the finished shoe free of wrinkles.

The plate or projection 280 of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 7 and also the corresponding portion of said member when made integral with the metal shank prevents breaking of thesole at the breast of the heel and also precludes running over and loosening the heels.

As shown in Figs. 4: and 5 the shank 29 may have its side edges turned or rolled for making it rigid and strong.

WVhat is claimed is:

1. A reinforcing plate for the sole structure of shoes having wooden heels comprising a sheet metal member having an outer curvature to coincide with the curvature of the heel portion of a shoe sole, and forming a narrow rim over which the lasted edge of the heel portion of a shoe upper may extend said rim forming a central aperature, the transverse width of the rim portion being less than the width of the over-lasted portion 7 of the upper to permit fastening of the upper by means extending through the aperture, the extreme rear end of the rim portion having a perforation therethrough for aligning the sole structure with the heel seam of a shoe upper.

2. In a device for use with shoes having wooden heels a sheet metal member for reinforcing the heel portion of the inner sole structure of a shoe over a narrow margin flush with the edge of said structure and providing an enlarged central aperture wherein a shoe upper may be fastened to the inner sole structure and wherein fastening means for a wooden heel may be received for binding a heel over the lastedupper along said reinforcing structure, said reinforcing device being furthermore provided immediately adjacent its extreme rear edge with-a perforation centeredon the'longitudinal axis thereof. Q I

3. 'In ashoe having a'wooden heel the combination of an mner leather sole structure, a

metal reinforcing member secured thereto and flush with the edges thereof, the metal member being cut away centrally to provide a narrow marginal reinforcement for the structure, an upper having its edges drawn over the body of the reinforcingmember and attached to the sole structure whereby to cover the reinforcing member, a Wooden heel having a peripheral seat for receiving said reinforcing and lasted portions of the shoe, and means extending through thesole structure and into the heel for binding the heel seat upon said reinforcing portion of the shoe, the metal member having immediately adjacent its extreme rear edge a perforation disposed on the longitudinal axis of the heel member for facilitating alignment of the upper therewith.

4. In a shoe structure the combination of an insole member, a marginal reinforcing plate secured thereto flush with the periphery of the heel portion thereof, and ametal shank stiflener cooperating with said metal reinforcing member and extending forwardly along insole member, the reinforcing plate having at the rear end of its longitudinal axis a sighting perforation for centering the reinforced sole with the heel seam of a shoe upper.

5. In a shoe structure the combination with a heel having a seat, of an insole member and a combined shank stiffener and edge reinforc-- ing member secured to the insole member whereby said insole member is reinforced at the arch and made rigid about the heel margin thereof to effect a uniform rigid mounting on the heel seat and permitting lasting. of the entire heel and of the upper to said insole member, the edge reinforcing member having on its longitudinal axis at the extreme rear end thereof a nail receiving perforation to facilitate centering of a shoe upper.

' 6. A metal shoe shank stiffener having its longitudinal edges turned upwardly and inwardly, a heel reinforcing plate, the plate having at the rear end of its longitudinal axis a nail receiving perforation serving as a:

guide in centering the heel seam of a shoe upper, and means for securing an end of the shank stiffener to the last mentioned member.

7 The method of fabricating shoes comprising an inner member of a sole structure the marginal reinforcing metal being pre-- viously perforated on its longitudinal axis and adjacent the extreme rear edge, aligning the heel seam of a shoe upper with said perforation, fasteningthe shoe upper to said sole structure ,interiorly of the margin of the reinforcing member whereby the reinforcing nlember is covered, seating the structure thus reinforced and covered upon the heel seat and securing the sole structure and-heel to- V g m gether.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto I subscribed my name this 14th day of January,

FRANK A. MELGHIONNA. 

